Replication Guide for Police Violence and Public Opinion After George Floyd:  How the Black Lives Matter Movement and Endorsements Affect Support for Reforms

One main dataset is used for the analyses in Police Violence and Public Opinion After George Floyd.  The dataset, lawenf_1.xls, contains the responses of participants in an online survey we conducted after the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 and before the 2020 general election in California.  The text of relevant portions of the online survey is available in the Online Appendix.  The survey dataset (lawenf_1.xls) and its accompanying codebook (lawenf_1_codebook.docx) can be found in the main folder, 2103 PRQ.

The following instructions will allow interested users to reproduce all tables and figures in the article and online appendix.  We have included a zipped file, AfterGeorgeFloyd_combined.zip, that includes all files in the dataverse and retains our original file structure.  We have also uploaded copies of all individual files.  In running the command files, the user will need to correct the file paths, locating each file as appropriate.  All files uploaded to the Harvard Dataverse are listed and described herein.

All of the analyses in the article and supporting information were performed using STATA 13.1.  All of the analysis datasets are saved as text files, Excel (Microsoft Excel 2010) files or STATA files.


2103 PRQ

The file, lawenf_1.xls, contains the responses of participants in the online survey we conducted after the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 and before the 2020 general election in California.

The file, lawenf_1_codebook.pdf, describes the variables in lawenf_1.xls.


Tables and Figures in the Article and Supporting Information

After George Floyd Table A1 and Figure 1

The STATA do file, Table A1.do, opens the analysis dataset, lawenf_1.xls, recodes variables for respondents� characteristics and preferences for police reform proposals, and conducts one-sample t tests of the level of support for reforms among respondents assigned to the control group. Average levels of support are reported for different subgroups of respondents in Table A1 of the online appendix.  

The STATA do file, Figure 1.do, plots the average levels of support for different subgroups of respondents, which are displayed in Figure 1 of the article.


After George Floyd Table A2 and Figures 2 and 3

The STATA do file, Table A2.do, opens the analysis dataset, lawenf_1.xls, and codes variables for respondents� assignment to treatment and control groups, characteristics and preferences for police reform proposals.  The bottom half of the file expands the dataset to respondent-proposal observations, and estimates OLS models of respondents� support for reforms.  The results of the OLS models are saved in two log files (Table A2 est dem.log, Table A2 est rep.log) and an Excel file (Table A2 estimates.xls).  

The STATA do file, Figure 2.do, opens the Excel file Table A2 estimates.xls and plots predicted levels of support for Democratic and Republican respondents in each treatment and the control group, which are displayed in Figure 2 of the article.

The STATA do file, Figure 3.do, opens the Excel file Table A2 estimates.xls and plots predicted levels of support for Democratic and Republican respondents in each treatment and the control group, which are displayed in Figure 3 of the article.


After George Floyd Table A3, Figures 4 and 5

The STATA do file, Table A3.do, opens the analysis dataset, lawenf_1.xls, and codes variables for respondents� assignment to treatment and control groups, characteristics and preferences for police reform proposals.  The bottom half of the file expands the dataset to respondent-proposal observations, and estimates OLS models of respondents� support for reforms.  The results of the OLS models are saved in four log files (Table A3 est dem BLM.log, Table A3 est dem noBLM.log, Table A3 est rep BLM.log, Table A3 est rep noBLM.log) and an Excel file (Table A3 estimates.xls).  

The STATA do file, Figure 4.do, opens the Excel file Table A3 estimates.xls and plots predicted levels of support for Democratic and Republican respondents (separated by their support for the Black Lives Matter movement) in each treatment and the control group, which are displayed in Figure 4 of the article.

The STATA do file, Figure 5.do, opens the Excel file Table A3 estimates.xls and plots predicted levels of support for Democratic and Republican respondents (separated by their support for the Black Lives Matter movement) in each treatment and the control group, which are displayed in Figure 5 of the article.


After George Floyd Tables A4 A5 A12 and Figure A1

The STATA do file, Tables A4 A5 A12 and Figure A1.do, opens the analysis dataset, lawenf_1.xls, recodes variables for respondents� characteristics and conducts two-sample t tests of Democratic and Republican respondents� ratings of political parties, the California Legislative Black Caucus and California Police Chiefs Association.  The results of these t tests are reported in Table A4 of the online appendix.

The next set of commands conduct two-sample t tests of Black Lives Matter supporters� and opponents� ratings of the California Legislative Black Caucus and California Police Chiefs Association.  The results of these t tests are reported in Table A5 of the online appendix.

The next set of commands conduct two-sample t tests of Independent respondents� ratings of political parties, the California Legislative Black Caucus and California Police Chiefs Association.  The results of these t tests are reported in Table A12 of the online appendix.

The last set of commands plots respondents� ratings of political parties, the California Legislative Black Caucus and California Police Chiefs Association, which are displayed in Figure A1 of the article.


After George Floyd Tables A6 and A7

The STATA do file, Tables A6 and A7.do, opens the analysis dataset, lawenf_1.xls, recodes variables for respondents� characteristics, and tabulates the statistics reported in the left column of Table A6 of the online appendix.  The bottom of the file recodes variables for respondents� characteristics, assignment to treatment and the control groups, and then performs the manipulation checks in Table A7 of the online appendix.


After George Floyd Tables A8 A9 and Figures A2 and A3

The STATA do file, Tables A8 and A9.do, opens the analysis dataset, lawenf_1.xls, and codes variables for respondents� assignment to treatment and control groups, characteristics and preferences for police reform proposals.  The next set of commands then tabulates the statistics reported in the two right-hand columns of Table A8 of the online appendix.

The bottom half of the file expands the dataset to respondent-proposal observations, and estimates OLS models of respondents� support for reforms.  The results of the OLS models are saved in three log files (Table A9 est dem all.log, Table A9 est dem BLM.log, Table A9 est dem noBLM.log) and an Excel file (Table A9 estimates.xls).  

The STATA do file, Figures A2 and A3.do, opens the Excel file Table A9 estimates.xls and plots predicted levels of support for Democratic respondents (separated by their strength of partisanship) in each treatment and the control group, which are displayed in Figure A2 of the online appendix.

The bottom half of the file opens the Excel file Table A9 estimates.xls and plots predicted levels of support for Democratic respondents (separated by their support for the Black Lives Matter movement and strength of partisanship) in each treatment and the control group, which are displayed in Figure A3 of the online appendix.


After George Floyd Table A10 and Figure A4

The STATA do file, Table A10.do, opens the analysis dataset, lawenf_1.xls, and codes variables for respondents� assignment to treatment and control groups, characteristics and preferences for police reform proposals.  The bottom half of the file expands the dataset to respondent-proposal observations, and estimates OLS models of �screened� respondents� support for reforms.  The results of the OLS models are saved in two log files (Table A10 est dem.log, Table A10 est rep.log) and an Excel file (Table A10 estimates.xls).  

The STATA do file, Figure A4.do, opens the Excel file Table A10 estimates.xls and plots predicted levels of support for Democratic and Republican respondents in each treatment and the control group, which are displayed in Figure A10 of the online appendix.


After George Floyd Table A11 and Figure A5

The STATA do file, Table A11.do, opens the analysis dataset, lawenf_1.xls, and codes variables for respondents� assignment to treatment and control groups, characteristics and preferences for police reform proposals.  The bottom half of the file expands the dataset to respondent-proposal observations, and estimates OLS models of respondents� support for reforms.  The results of the OLS models are saved in four log files (Table A11 est dem BLM.log, Table A11 est dem noBLM.log, Table A11 est rep BLM.log, Table A11 est rep noBLM.log) and an Excel file (Table A11 estimates.xls).  

The STATA do file, Figure A5.do, opens the Excel file Table A11 estimates.xls and plots predicted levels of support for Democratic and Republican respondents (separated by their support for the Black Lives Matter movement) in each treatment and the control group, which are displayed in Figure A5 of the online appendix.


After George Floyd Table A13 and Figures A6 and A7

The STATA do file, Table A13.do, opens the analysis dataset, lawenf_1.xls, and codes variables for respondents� assignment to treatment and control groups, characteristics and preferences for police reform proposals.  The bottom half of the file expands the dataset to respondent-proposal observations, and estimates OLS models of Independent respondents� support for reforms.  The results of the OLS models are saved in three log files (Table A13 est ind.log, Table A13 est ind BLM.log, Table A13 est dem noBLM.log) and an Excel file (Table A13 estimates.xls).  

The STATA do file, Figures A6 and A7.do, opens the Excel file Table A13 estimates.xls and plots predicted levels of support for Independent respondents in each treatment and the control group, which are displayed in Figure A6 of the online appendix.

The bottom half of the file opens the Excel file Table A13 estimates.xls and plots predicted levels of support for Democratic respondents (separated by their support for the Black Lives Matter movement) in each treatment and the control group, which are displayed in Figure A7 of the online appendix.

